The term TRADE RIFLE indicated a rifle made for the trade, to be sold by a gun merchant, hardware dealers, trading posts, or bartered by a fur trade company. Early gunmakers generally built guns to each customer's order. Trade rifles were often made in batches, under contract, with all guns very similar. Henry Leman marked the many locks and barrels of trade rifles and trade muskets he manufactured from his factory in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His work is highly prized by collectors.

Track's H. E. Leman Indian Trade Rifle is an enjoyable project, that typically requires about 40 hours for the first time gun builder to assemble and finish. To simplify your work, our gunsmith can quickly and professionally install your breech plug, sights, and underlugs, within 3 to 5 days shop time, at small extra cost.

Track of the Wolf's H. E. Leman Indian Trade Rifle kit is one of our easiest kits. Our North West Trade Gun kit has few parts, and may be a bit easier to assemble, but this is probably the easiest rifle kit to assemble.

We show the above percussion Leman rifle by contemporary builder George Nelson. In traditional fashion plain maple was selected and hand painted stripes were applied. Original H. E. Leman rifles were nearly always stocked in plain hard maple, without much figure, often with faux figure hand painted curly maple stripes, using dark wood stain and a artist's brush. Never burned, charred, or wrapped with string, the wiggly curls of darker stain were applied by the hand of an artist, who copied the appearance of tiger stripe maple figure. Mr. Nelson has perfected this technique using Laurel Mountain Forge honey maple stain for the background, Laurel Mountain Forge American walnut stain for the stripes, with rubbing alcohol used to blur the edges.

These rifles are most often encountered with brass furniture and a iron buttplate. They often have shorter barrel lengths with a 32" length making a very handy manageable rifle. Percussion locks with a square tail are commonly encountered. Most antique H.E. Leman rifles are found with a percussion lock. We offer this combination of parts with a percussion lock only. Flint lock rifles are known, but these rifles are scarce.

Our top view shows the simplicity of the design. Leman rifles generally have a squared Kentucky style cheek piece, and a single lock bolt. Our pre-inlet Leman Indian Trade rifle full stocks will accept 1" octagon barrels up to a 36".

Track's best H. E. Leman Trade Rifle kit features a precision pre-inlet stock, cut for a 1" straight octagon barrel up to 36" length, drilled for a 7/16" ramrod, square tail percussion lock, and our single trigger and trigger plate, which was often used on original Trade Rifles by Henry Eicholtz Leman, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We recommend that you build a fullstock Leman rifle, as a first project, because assembly is much simpler than halfstock rifles.

Track's H. E. Leman Trade Rifle Kit features the best quality parts made in America. The square tail percussion lock is assembeld with Ron Long designed internals. Use any 1" octagon barrel for your H. E. Leman rifle.

Precision inlet, the octagon barrel will snap into the mortise, after your square up the two inside corners of the machine inlet barrel channel. Inletting the lock requires a bit of inlet black or candle soot. Press the smoked lock plate into the mortise, tap it, remove it, and scrape (drag) your sharp chisel to remove any black rub marks, where the mortise is too tight. Repeat the process, until the part snaps into the mortise. The stock is pre-inlet for the triggerplate, and the trigger is designed to be pinned through the stock.

Colerain barrels are available in 1" octagon, 36" length, threaded for breech plug. Available in .50, .54, or .58 caliber with round ball twist. Colerain rifle barrels are drilled from solid steel, cut rifled .012" to .016" deep depending on caliber, with six "round bottom" grooves. Called "radius groove rifling", Colerain eliminates the sharp inside corner that accumulates fouling. Radius groove rifling cutters are a bit more expensive to make, but Colerain's customers agree that the accuracy, easy loading, and easy cleaning are worth the cost.

Each barrel has six lands and grooves.

Grooves cut .012 to .016" deep, depending on caliber.

Twist is 1 turn in 56 inches for .50, and .54 caliber.

1 turn in 66 inch twist, for .58 caliber

Green Mountain barrels are available in 1" octagon, 36" length, threaded for breech plug. Available in .50, .54, or .58 caliber with round ball twist. Green Mountain muzzle loading rifle barrels are machined from high quality American made bar stock, A.I.S.I. 1137 modified, stress relieved, annealed, certified rifle barrel quality steel. All barrels are drilled from solid stock, reamed to a high degree of smoothness, then optically checked for straightness. Very close tolerances are maintained. Diameters vary less than .0002" within any bore.

Cut Rifling Specifications:

Each barrel has eight lands and grooves.

Grooves cut .010 to .012" deep, depending on caliber.

Twist is 1 turn in 70 inches for .50, .54, and .58 caliber.

The inexpensive book Modern Kentucky Rifle, by R. H. McCrory, shows how to do this inletting, in nice photography. The photos and instructions that illustrate the buttplate installation, are well worth the price of this book.

Percussion caps were invented in 1820, but were not common in the American West, until after nearly 1840. This square tail lock is patterned from a antique lock by H.E. Leman. The lock used Ron Long designed internals, which provide a snappy action. Our suggested list of parts for this percussion rifle uses a 9/16" diameter powder drum with square end, exactly like the original Leman percussion rifles.

Neatly drawn and dimensioned, our full scale drawing will simplify assembly of a classic fullstock “trade rifle" in the style of Henry Eicholtz Leman. His Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, factory made rifles for trade to westbound settlers and to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Prized by the Indians, Leman fullstock and halfstock rifles are highly collectible today. We offer pre-inlet stocks, locks, barrels and all the castings needed to build this rifle, in several popular variations.

Gunsmithing Labor Options are a popular low cost method of speeding assembly. Our gunsmith can install the plug (#LABOR-BP), front and rear sights (2 #LABOR-DS), and underlugs (3 #LABOR-UL) at small extra cost, with prompt delivery.

#LABOR-BP: Our gunsmith will install your breech plug, in your barrel, with the front face of the breech plug tightly sealed against the inside shoulder of the breech thread, and the barrel maker's name indexed to the bottom flat. Threads are lubricated with Birchwood Casey's Choke Tube Lube anti-seize, so the plug may be removed, even after decades of use. Never remove a breech plug, unless you have a compelling reason. The plug is never removed for cleaning, and should only be removed by a skilled gunsmith, who has the correct tools to avoid marking your polished and finished barrel and plug.

#LABOR-DS: When you buy the sight from us, we will remove any burrs, gates, or parting lines, and hand fit the sight to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Many of our rear sights are cast with an oversize base, to allow these to fill oversize slots. It is wise to allow us to trim these to a standard size, before installation in a new barrel. We must install the breech plug before installing sights, rib, or pipes.

Front sight slots are centered 1.5" from muzzle, unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

Rear sight slots are centered 8.5" from the breech end of the barrel (not including plug), unless your clearly specify another location. Do not embed special instructions within lengthy text of a letter. Place special instructions immediately after your written order for that item, or in the comment field of our on-line order form.

#LABOR-UL: When you buy the lugs from us, we will remove any burrs, and hand fit the lug to the dovetail slot, ready for you to finish and use. Allow our gunsmith to determine the best location for lug. Typically these rifles require three lugs. We require the breech plug to be fitted before performing this operation.

#LABOR-RB: If you wish to make a rifle with a shorter barrel, we recommend 32". We can trim the barrel from the breech and rethread the breech. We always recommend saving the muzzle by shortening at the breech. Price includes shortening the breech and re-threading for the plug. Installation and fitting a breech plug is extra. Shortening a barrel is a special order and not refundable.

#BOOK-RAL: We strongly recommend Recreating the American Longrifle, by William Buchele. The late William Buchele was recognized as a true master longrifle maker. But his greatest contribution to muzzle loading must be this book. He shares the step-by-step details of his craft. His work has been enhanced by the editors. This book does not assume that the reader is an expert stock maker, but begins with illustrated explanations of the basic concepts. Buchele shows several alternate approaches to most tasks. This newly revised fifth edition includes full scale plans for a carved flint longrifle, and fullstock flint pistol. Over 250 photos and drawings, within 176 pages, 8-1/2 x 11" format, soft cover.

#DVD-BML or #DVD-BML-2Building Muzzle-Loaders DVD video with rifle maker James Turpin. Rifle maker James Turpin takes you start to finish on building a quality Muzzle-Loading flint or percussion rifle. Designed for the beginning to intermediate builder. DVD format.

#DVD-BE:The Gunsmith's Apprentice Series Presents "Beginning Engraving", taught by gunmaker Jack Brooks. With this video you can learn to engrave in the manner and style of the original masters.

In this presentation the nationally known traditional longrifle builder Jack Brooks teaches the viewer the essentials of chasing, pushing & wriggle engraving. Beginning with the basic tools, Jack shows the sharpening and heat treating of both square and chisel point engraving tools, and demonstrates the techniques used by period American gunsmiths to decorate their firearms. In addition, the engraving of several original 18th and 19th century longrifles is examined in detail. Over 70 minutes long. VHS format.

We also recommend our new catalog, which describes this kit in great detail, explains the options, and shows most individual parts in exact full size photographs. Prices may change, over the years, but the technical data, dimensions, instructions, and precise photos will make this 432 page book an essential too on your work bench.

Gun building is fun! Click ADD TO CART, and send your order, for same day shipment. Call 763-633-2500 to place your order by telephone.